TY  - JOUR
AB  - The UK has operated a lightly regulated approach to help employees balance their work and domestic obligations, an approach which employers have welcomed and which they and Government consider to be successful. On the basis of empirical studies this paper challenges these assumptions and outcomes. Apart from definitional difficulties, seven major problems associated with current UK practice over work‐life balance are identified. The first problem concerns unevenness of adoption across different sectors and organisations. The second is a lack of formalisation of policies at organisational level, with largely untrained line mangers having discretion over policy application. Third, there is restricted employee voice over the introduction and implementation of policies. Fourth, policies are introduced primarily to meet business needs, rather than those of employees. Fifth, there is no evidence of reductions in working hours. Sixth, tangible and intangible work intrusions into domestic life have been identified. Finally, domestic responsibilities are still conducted primarily by women irrespective of their employment status. The researchers conclude that many employees continue to face difficulty in reconciling their work and domestic responsibilities.
VL  - 33
IS  - 4
SN  - 0048-3486
DO  - 10.1108/00483480410539498
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1108/00483480410539498
AU  - Hyman Jeff
AU  - Summers Juliette
PY  - 2004
Y1  - 2004/01/01
TI  - Lacking balance? Work‐life employment practices in the modern economy
T2  - Personnel Review
PB  - Emerald Group Publishing Limited
SP  - 418
EP  - 429
Y2  - 2024/04/25
ER  -